Article dispensing means and automatic gun system embodying same



Sept. 16, 1969 D. DARDICK 3,467,276

ARTICLE DISPENSING MEANS AND AUTOMATIC GUN SYSTEM EMBODYING SAME Filed Sept. 1, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q TToQA/EY Sept. 16, 1969 D. DARDICK 3,467,276

ARTICLE DISPENSING MEANS AND AUTOMATIC GUN SYSTEM EMBODYING SAME Filed Sept. 1., 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,467,276 ARTICLE DISTENSING MEANS AND AUTOMATIC GUN SYSTEM EMBODYIN G SAME David Dardick, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif., assignor to TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif., a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 665,132 Int. Cl. B6Sg 59/06; F41d 9/00; B65h /02 US. Cl. 221-260 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article dispensing means for feeding unattached or discrete articles in succession to an article receiver, the dispensing means having a compartmented storage magazine for containing a number of the articles arranged in rows, and a flexible conveyor band with external ends and an intervening portion which is trained about the interior of the magazine in such manner that endwise feeding of one end of the band from the magazine is efiective to transport the article rows endwise in succession from the magazine to the receiver. An automatic gun system embodying the article dispensing means for feeding beltless ammunition rounds to an automatic gun.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to article handling systems. More particularly, the invention relates to article dispensing means for feeding unattached or discrete articles in succession from a storage magazine to an article receiver. The invention relates also to an automatic gun system which utilizes the dispensing means to feed beltless ammunition rounds to a gun.

Prior art As will appear from the latter description, the article dispensing means of the invention may be employed to advantage in a wide variety of article handling and feeding applications. However, the invention will be described in connection with only one of these many applications, namely, feeding unattached or beltless ammunition rounds to an automatic weapon or gun. With regard to this particular application, it is worthy of note that the gun may embody any conventional breech action wherein each round is inserted axially into the firing chamber and the spent cartridge case of each fired round is extracted axially from the firing chamber, or any so-called open chamber breech action wherein each round is introduced laterally into the firing chamber and the spent cartridge case of each fired round is ejected laterally from the firing chamber. Moreover, the gun may have a fixed barrel construction in which each barrel remains stationary at all times and each firing chamber is stationarily aligned with the barrel, at least during firing of a round in the chamber, or a rotary barrel construction in which each barrel and an aligned firing chamber undergo unified rotation during firing about an axis parallel to and spaced from the barrel. The invention, however, is particularly suited for use with and will be described in connection with an open chamber gun, in this instance, a fixed barrel open chamber gun.

Open chamber guns are known in the art. Typical guns of this type, for example, are disclosed in Patent Nos. 2,983,223, 3,041,939, 2,831,401, 2,847,784 and 3,046,890. Generally speaking, an open chamber gun is characterized by an open chamber breech mechanism including a breech frame having a breech chamber containing a rotary carrier 3,467,275 Patented Sept. 16, 1969 or cylinder with one or more firing chambers which open laterally through the circumference of the cylinder. The cylinder is driven in rotation or oscillation to locate each firing chamber alternately in an ammunition infeed position wherein the open side of the chamber registers with an ammunition infeed opening in the breech frame to permit lateral infeed movement of an ammunition round in the chamber, and a firing position wherein the open side of the firing chamber is closed by the breech frame firing strap to permit firing of the round in the chamber. When firing cased ammuntion rounds, each firing chamber rotates from firing position to infeed position through an intervening ejection position wherein the open side of the chamber registers with a cartridge case ejection opening in the breech frame to permit lateral ejection of the spent cartridge case of a fired round from the chamber.

The existing open chamber guns employ various ammunition infeed devices for laterally feeding ammunition rounds into the breech cylinder firing chambers. The aforementioned Patent Nos. 2,983,223 and 3,041,939, for example, disclose magazine and linked round infeed devices for open chamber guns. These and the other existing ammunition infeed devices, however, are subject, variously, to the disadvantages of excessive weight, complexity and costs, low storage capacity, high inertial forces, inability to handle uncased ammunition rounds, tendency to jamming or other malfunction, relatively low infeed rates, excessive reloading times, and others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one of its more specific aspects, the present invention provides an improved magazine type ammunition infeed device for laterally feeding beltless ammunition rounds to an open chamber gun. This infeed device possesses the advantages of minimum size and weight, low inertial forces during feeding, maximum storage capacity, high infeed rates, ability to handle cased and uncased ammunition, immunity to jamming and other malfunctions, low cost, minimum power requirement, minimum loading time and other highly beneficial features. In general terms, the infeed device is characterized by a compartmented ammunition storage magazine for containing a number of ammunition rounds arranged in one or more rows, a conveyor band having ends located externally of the magazine and an intervening loop portion which is trained about the interior of the magazine in such manner that endwise feeding of one end of the band from the magazine transports the ammunition rows longitudinally in succession from the magazine through an exit guideway of the magazine, and drive means for feeding the driven end of the band from the magazine. Various types of band drive means may be employed in the infeed device. Another specific aspect of the invention is concerned with an open chamber gun system including the present beltless ammunition infeed device and an open chamber gun. According to this aspect of the invention, the exit guideway of the ammunition storage magazine is connected, either directly or through an intervening ammunition feed chute, to an ammunition infeed guide on the gun in such a way that ammunition rounds are fed laterally in succession from the magazine into the firing chambers of the gun. A unique feature of the invention in this regard resides in the fact that the conveyor band drive means of the ammunition infeed device may comprise a selectively operable drive coupling to the rotary carrier or cylinder of the gun whereby the power for feeding the rounds is derived from the cylinder drive motor, and live rounds may be intermittently fed to the cylinder for firing while the cylinder is driven continuously.

As noted earlier, while the invention will be disclosed in connection with feeding beltless ammunition rounds to an open chamber gun of the kind discussed above, the ammunition infeed device of the invention may be utilized to feed ammunition rounds to a gun with a conventional breech mechanism. In this case, the infeed device will deliver the rounds laterally in succession to a sprocket wheel or the like on the gun which will then transport the rounds into the breech. Moreover, while the invention is uniquely suited to feeding ammunition rounds to a gun, the invention, according to its broader aspects, provides an article dispensing means of the general character described, which may be employed to advantage in a great variety of article handling applications other than the ammunition handling applications specifically referred to herein. In regard to this broader aspect of the invention, it should be noted that the articles which are handled or dispensed may have virtually any shape which is compatible with the present dispensing technique. Also, the present article dispensing means may be employed to feed or dispense the contained articles in succession to any suitable article receiver. It will become evident as the description proceeds that the advantages of the invention set forth earlier in connection with its use as an ammunition infeed device for an open chamber gun apply equally well to and are equally beneficial in all of these broader article handling applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DMWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article handling system, in this instance an open chamber gun system, according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of a present article dispensing means which is employed in the gun system of FIG. 1 as a beltless ammunition infeed device, the view looking in the direction of the arrows on line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the storage magazine in FIG. 2, with parts broken away for clarity;

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the area encircled by the arrow 4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the gun shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line 77 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 digrammatically illustrate certain parts of the gun; and

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an electrical energizing circuit embodied in the gun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to its broader aspects, the invention provides an article handling system, representative in the drawings by the system 10, for handling unattached or discrete article 12. This handling system includes an articles receiver 14 and an article dispensing means 16 for storing the articles 12 and dispensing the latter in succession to the receiver. The particular article handling system of the invention which has been selected for illustration is an open chamber gun system in which the articles 12 are open chamber ammunition rounds, the article receiver 14 is an open chamber gun, and article dispensing means 16 is an ammunition infeed device for feeding the rounds 12 laterally in succession to the open chamber breech mechanism of the gun 14.

The open chamber breech mechanism 17 is generally conventional and includes a breech frame 18 containing a carrier or cylinder receiving chamber 20. Supported in the breech frame 18 within the chamber 20 for rotation on an axis 22 is a rotary carrier or cylinder 24. Extending laterally from the breech frame 18 and opening to the chamber 20 between the ends of the cylinder 24 is an ammunition infeed guide 26 for directing the ammunition rounds 12 laterally in succession to the cylinder. Secured to and extending forwardly from the front end of the .4 breech frame 18 is a barrel 27 containing a bore 28. Bore 28 parallels and is laterally spaced from the cylinder axis 22 and opens rearwardly to the chamber 20.

Breech cylinder 24 contains a number of uniformly spaced firing chambers 30 which open laterally through the circumference and longitudinally through the front end of the cylinder for receiving ammunition rounds 12 from the ammunition infeed device 16. The illustrated ammunition rounds 12 are conventional open chamber rounds of the type disclosed in the aforementioned prior art patents. As shown in the drawings, such open chamber ammunition is characterized by a generally triangular round shape in cross section. This ammunition shape has numerous advantages which are fully explained in the patents and,

therefore, need not be treated in detail in this description.

Suflice it to say that the sides of each round are cylindrically curved to the same radius as the breech cylinder 24 of the gun 14. The cylinder firing chambers 30 have the same generally triangular round shape in cross section as the ammunition rounds and are so sized that when a round is positioned in a firing chamber, the side of the round which is exposed at the open side of the firing chamber is substantially flush with the cylinder circumference. Gun 14 is equipped with drive means 32 for driving the breech cylinder 24 to locate the firing chambers 30 alternately in an infeed position and a firing position. When in infeed position, the open side of each firing chamber registers with the ammunition infeed guide 26 of the gun to permit lateral infeed movement of an ammunition round 12 through the guide into the firing chamber. When in firing position, the open side of each firing chamber is closed by the breech frame firing strap 34, and the chamber opens forwardly to the gun bore 28 to condition the gun for firing the round in the chamber. Mounted in the rear end of the breech frame 18 is a firing means 36 such as a firing pin, which may be actuated to fire each ammunition round when in firing position.

The primary contribution of the present invention resides in the article dispensing means 16 which, in this instance, serves as an ammunition infeed device for laterally feeding the ammunition rounds 12 to the open chamber gun 14. In general terms, this article dispensing means or ammunition infeed device comprises a storage magazine 38 having an exit guideway 40. When loaded, the magazine contains a number of articles 12, i.e. ammunition rounds, arranged side by side in at least one, and in this instance several, rows R. The article dispensing means or ammunition infeed device further comprises a flexible conveyor band 44 having external ends 44 and 44d, herein referred to as fixed and driven ends, respectively, which extend from the magazine 38 through the magazine exit guideway 40- along opposite sides of the guideway, and an intervening portion 44i which extends through the interior of the magazine. This conveyor band is trained through the magazine in such a way as to form within the magazine a number of folds which effectively encircle the individual article or ammunition rows R in the magazine. According to the present invention, the fixed end 44 of the conveyor band 44 is anchored and the driven end 44d of the band is fed endwise from the magazine in such a way that the articles or ammunition rounds 12 are transported laterally in succession from the magazine 38 to the article receiver or gun 14 through the magazine exit guideway 40. To this end, means 46 are provided for anchoring the fixed end 44 of the conveyor band 44 adjacent the open end of the guideway. The driven end 44d of the conveyor band is engaged with a band driving means 48 for feeding or pulling the band from the storage magazine. Various driving means may be employed for this purpose. The illustrated band driving means 48 comprises a feed roll in the form of a throwaway takeup spool 50 to which the driven end 44d of the conveyor band 44 is attached and means 52 for driving the spool in rotation in a direction to wind the band on the spool. As will appear from the ensuing description, a feature of the illustrated open chamber gun system 10 resides in the fact that the spool driving means 52 comprises a drive coupling between the takeup spool 50 and the cylinder 24 of the gun 14, whereby the spool is driven in rotation by the cylinder. In this case, the spool drive means 52 may include actuating means 54 for selectively activating and inactivating the drive means to permit selective feeding of ammunition rounds 12 from the storage magazine 38 to the gun 14 and thereby selective intermittent firing of the gun, While the gun cylinder continues to rotate.

Conceivably, the ammunition storage magazine 38 of the present ammunition infeed device 16 may contain only a single ammunition row R. A typical storage magazine, according to the invention, however, will contain several ammunition rows. The illustrated magazine, for example, has several ammunition storage compartments 56-1 through 56-10, each containing an ammunition row. As will appear from the ensuing description, the conveyor band 44 is trained through the interior of the magazine 38 in such a way that endwise feeding of the driven end 44d of the band from the magazine, in the manner explained above, is effective to transport the ammunition rows in succession from the magazine.

Briefly, during operation of the illustrated article handling or open chamber gun system 10, the breech cylinder drive means 32 are operated to drive the breech cylinder 24 in intermittent rotation in such a way that each cylinder firing chamber 30 is rotated to its infeed and firing positions in alternate sequence. The gun is fired by operating the conveyor band takeup spool actuating means 54 to effect driving of the takeup spool 50 in rotation by the cylinder 24. The conveyor band 44 is then wound on the takeup spool to cause lateral infeed movement of the ammunition rounds 12 in succession from the storage magazine 38 to the gun 14 through tthe magazine exit guideway 40. As each cylin der firing chamber 30- rotates to infeed position, it receives an ammunition round through the ammunition infeed guide '26. The ammunition round is then rotated with the firing chamber to firing position and is fired by actuation of the firing means 36 of the gun 14. As noted earlier, the present gun system may fire either cased or uncased open chamber ammunition. When firing cased ammunition, each firing chamber 30 rotates from firing position to infeed position through an intervening ejection position, wherein the open side of the chamber registers with an ejection opening in the breech frame 18 of the gun to permit lateral ejection of the spent cartridge cases of the fired rounds from the chamber.

Referring now in greater detail to the article handling or open chamber gun system 10 of the invention which has been selected for illustration in the drawings, the breech frame 18 of the open chamber gun 14 has the usual generally flat rectangular shape and contains a generally rectangular opening which opens laterally through opposite sides of the frame to form the breech chamber 20. The breech cylinder 24 has a central shaft 58 which extends rotatably through the front and rear ends of the breech frame to support the cylinder for rotation on its axis 22. The illustrated cylinder drive means 32 comprises a motor 60 which is mounted on the rear end of the breech frame 18 and is drivably coupled to the rear end of the cylinder shaft 58 through an intermittent drive mechanism 62. This drive mechanism is operative, in response to energizing of the drive motor 60, to drive the breech cylinder 24 in intermittent rotation in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 7 in such a way that each cylinder firing chamber 30 is momentarily arrested in its infeed position.

As noted earlier, the open side of each firing chamber 30, when in infeed position, registers with the ammunition infeed guide 26 of the gun. This guide comprises a hollow rectangular sleevelike member which is secured to one side and extends laterally from breech frame 18. The inner end of the guide is located in close proximity to the circumference of the breech cylinder 24 and is sized to permit lateral infeed movement of individual ammunition rounds 12 into the cylinder firing chambers as the latter rotate to infeed position. As also noted earlier, the open side of each firing chamber 30, when in firing position, is closed by the breech frame firing strap 34. To this end, the inner wall of the firing strap is cylindrically curved to the same radius as, and is disposed in close proximity to the circumference of the breech cylinder 24. The cartridge case ejection opening of the illustrated open chamber gun 14, with which the open side of each firing chamber 30 registers when in ejection position, is formed by the open side of the breech chamber 20 opposite the ammunition infeed guide 26.

The illustrated ammunition storage magazine 38 comprises a storage box or container 64 which may be conveniently fabricated from plastic. This container has spaced parallel side walls 66 and edge walls 68, 70, 72 and 74. For convenience, these edge walls are hereinafter referred to as top, bottom, front and rear edge walls, respectively. Top and bottom edge walls 68, 70 parallel one another. The front edge wall 72 is disposed at an acute angle relative to the top and bottom edge walls. The rear edge wall 74 is normal to the top and bottom edge walls. The storage magazine exit guideway 40 is rectangular in cross section and is bounded by extensions of the magazine side walls 66, bottom edge wall 70, and front edge wall 72. In this instance, the longitudinal axis of the exit guideway parallels the top and bottom edge walls 68, 70 of the magazine. The forward magazine side wall 66 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is removable to permit loading of the magazine and is secured in position in any convenient way, as by fasteners 76. In this regard, attention is directed to the fact that the ammunition storage magazine 38 may be designed to be reusable or disposable. According to the preferred practice of the invention, the magazine container 64 is molded from plastic in order to render the magazine disposable when empty.

'EXtending across the interior of the magazine container 64, between and normal to its side walls 66 and in spaced parallel relation to one another and to the top and bottom magazine edge walls 68, 70 are a number of partitions 78. These partitions are joined along one longitudinal edge to the rear magazine side wall 66 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and to the rear magazine edge wall 74.

The front ends of the partitions are uniformly spaced from the front container edge wall 72 to define between the partitions and the front edge wall a transfer guideway 80. The partitions 78 define within the storage magazine 38 the several ammunition storage compartments 56-1 through 56-10. The forward ends of these compartments open to the transfer guideway 80. In the particular storage magazine illustrated, the magazine exit guideway 40 is longitudinally aligned with the storage compartment 56-10 and opens at its rear end to the lower end of the transfer guideway 80.

As noted earlier, and illustrated in FIG. 2, the ammunition storage magazine 38, when fully loaded, contains a number of ammunition rounds 12 which are arranged in several ammunition rows R. One of these ammunition rows is contained within the magazine transfer guideway 80. The remaining ammunition rows are contained within the magazine exit guideway 40 and the several ammunition storage compartments 56-1 through 56-10. The several ammunition rounds 12 in each of the ammunition rows R are arranged side by side with their axes transverse to the row. Moreover, the adjacent rounds in each row are rotated relative to one another in such a way that longitudinally apex edges of alternate rounds in the row are located adjacent one side of the storage compartment or guideway containing the row, and longitudinal apex edges of the intervening rounds are located adjacent the opposite side of the compartment or guideway. It is significant to note at this point that the width of each storage compartment and guideway of the storage magazine 38 is somewhat greater than the lateral dimension of each ammunition round 12 measured between a longitudinal apex edge and the opposing curved side of the round, such that the adjacent apex edges of the adjacent alternate rounds in each ammunition row abut one another as shown. As will be explained presently, this particular arrangement of the ammunition rounds minimizes the frictional drag imposed on the rounds during operation of the ammunition infeed device 16 to feed the rounds from the storage magazine 38 to the open chamber gun 14.

As noted earlier, the ammunition storage magazine 38 of the present ammunition infeed device 16 may be attached to the open chamber gun 14 either directly or through an intervening ammunition feed chute. In the particular open chamber gun system which has been selected for illustration in the drawings, the magazine is directly attached to the gun. To this end, the ammunition infeed guide 26 of the gun is dimensioned to slidably receive the open forward end of the magazine exit guideway 40, in the manner best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Any suitable means (not shown) may be provided for releasably securing the magazine to the gun.

In this case, the driven end 44d of the ammunition conveyor band 44 extends through an exit slot 82 in the upper wall of magazine exit guideway adjacent the open end of the guideway for attachment to the band takeup spool 50. The fixed end 44) of the conveyor band is secured by the anchoring means 46 to the lower wall of the exit guideway, opposite the slot 82. Any suitable anchoring means may be employed for this purpose, such as a rivet.

Referring now in particular to FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be observed that the ammunition conveyor band 44 extends from the band exit slot 82 rearwardly along the upper wall of the magazine exit guideway 40 to the rear end of this wall and then upwardly through the transfer guideway 80 along the front edge wall 72 of the magazine 38. From the upper end of this front edge wall, the band extends rearwardly through the upper ammunition storage compartment 561 along the upper magazine edgewall 68 to the rear closed end of the compartment, then downwardly to the upper magazine partition 78 which bounds the lower side of the compartment, and finally forwardly along this partition to its front edge. Thereafter, the conveyor band passes through the remaining ammunition storage compartments 56-2 to 56-10 in succession in such a way that the band extends rearwardly along the undersurface of the partition 78 which bounds the upper side of the compartment and forwardly along the upper surface of the partition which bounds the lower side of the compartment. The conveyor band finally emerges from the lower side of the bottom storage compartment 56-10 and extends forwardly along the bottom wall of the magazine exit guideway 40 the band anchoring means 46.

It is evident at this point that the conveyor band 44 is trained through the ammunition storage magazine 38 in such a way that the band forms a fold within each of the ammunition storage compartments 56-1 through 5610. As will be explained presently, this method of training or threading the conveyor band 44 through the magazine renders the band effective to transport the several ammunition rows R from the magazine in succession when the driven end 44d of the band is fed endwise from the magazine by rotation of the takeup spool 50.

The conveyor band takeup spool 50 is rotatably supported on the breech frame 18 of the open chamber gun 14. To this end, the breech frame 18 of the gun is provided with a pair of spool supports 84, 86 which extend laterally from the same side of the frame as and are located above the ammunition infeed guide 26. Rotatably mounted in the front spool support 84 is a front spool supporting and driving shaft 88 which is restrained against axial movement relative to the support. The ends of this shaft project a distance beyond the front and rear sides of the support. Rotatably mounted in the rear spool support 86, on the axis of the front shaft 88, is a rear spool supporting shaft 90 which is free to slide axially relative to the rear support. The ends of the rear shaft, like the front shaft, project a distance beyond the front and rear sides of the rear support. Fixed to the rear end of the rear shaft is a knob 92. The front end of the rear shaft has a rearwardly presented thrust shoulder for seating the forward end of a compression spring 94 surrounding the shaft. Spring 94 seats, at its rear end, against the front side of the rear spool support 86 and urges the rear spool supporting shaft 90 forwardly to its normal extended position of FIG. 5. The rear shaft may be retracted rearwardly against the action of the spring 94 by grasping and pulling rearwardly on the knob 92.

Extending coaxially into the front and rear ends of the conveyor band takeup spool 50 are sockets 96 and 98. The takeup spool is coaxially positioned between the spool supporting shafts 88, 90 in such a way that the rear end of the front shaft engages in the front spool socket 96 and the front end of the rear shaft engages in the rear spool socket 98. The spring 94 on the rear shaft serves to retain both shafts in operative engagement with the spool, whereby the spool is rotatably supported on the breech frame 18. The spool may be removed from the breech frame by first retracting the rear spool supporting shaft 90 against the action of its spring 94 to disengage the forward end of this shaft from the rear spool socket 98 and then shifting the spool rearwardly to disengage the spool from the front supporting shaft 88. As shown best in FIG. 2, the takeup spool 50, when supported on the breech frame, is located directly over the conveyor band exit slot 82 in the magazine exit guideway 40 to permit attachment of the driven end 44d of the ammunition conveyor band 44 to the spool. The band may be attached to the spool in any convenient way, as by providing the spool with a slot 100 for receiving the end of the band, as shown.

It will be recalled that the takeup spool 50 is connected to the breech cylinder 24 of the open chamber gun 14 by drive means 52, whereby the spool is driven in rotation by the cylinder. The illustrated spool driving means comprises gears 102 and 104 which are drivably connected to the front ends of the cylinder shaft 58 and the spool driving shaft 88, respectively, and an idler gear 106 which is rotatably mounted on the front spool support 84 in meshing engagement with the gears 102, 104. Thus, rotation of the breech cylinder in the counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 1, drives the front spool shaft 88 in a counterclockwise direction. Shaft 88, in turn, is drivably connected to the takeup spool 50. To this end, the rear end of the shaft 88 and the front spool socket 96 which receives the shaft are provided with complementary noncircular shapes. Preferably, the front end of the rear spool supporting shaft 90 and the rear spool socket 98 in which this latter shaft engages are also provided with complementary non-circular shapes so that rotation of the spool will cause rotation of the shaft in the rear spool support 86 rather than rotation of the spool relative to the shaft. As noted earlier, the spool driving means 52 include actuating a means 54 to permit selective rotation of the takeup spool 50 while the breech cylinder 24 continues to rotate. The particular spool actuating means illustrated comprises a magnetic clutch which may be energized at will to selectively couple the gear 102 to the breech cylinder shaft 58. It is now evident, therefore, that the conveyor band takeup spool 50 will remain stationary, even though the breech cylinder 24 of the open chamber gun 14 is driven in rotation, so long as the magnetic clutch 54 is de-energized. Energizing of this clutch results in driving of the takeup spool by the cylinder in the counterclock- 9 wise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. Driving of the spool, in turn, results in winding of the conveyor band 44 on the spool and, thereby, in endwise feeding of the driven end 44d of the band from the ammunition storage magazine 38. It will be understood that while the illustrated conveyor hand drive means is a rotary takeup spool, other drive means may be employed.

Referring now in particular to FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be observed that endwise feeding of the driven end 44d of the conveyor band 44 from the storage magazine 38 by rotation of the takeup spool 50 initially draws the band forwardly along the upper side of the magazine exit guideway 40, downwardly along the front side of the magazine transfer guideway 80, and forwardly along the upper side of the upper magazine storage compartment 56-1. This forward movement of the upper run of the conveyor band in the upper storage compartment 56-1 draws the rear closed end of the band fold in this compartment forward- 1y toward the open forward end of the compartment. Such forward movement of the fold end, in turn, exerts a forward thrust on the ammunition row in the compartment which tends to move the row longitudinally from the compartment. The forward thrust thus exerted on the ammunition row in the upper storage compartment is transmitted forwardly to the upper end of the ammunition row in the inclined transfer guideway 88 through the abutting ammunition rounds 12 (FIG. 4) at the adjacent ends of these rows, then downwardly through the ammunition row in the transfer guideway, and finally forwardly to the ammunition row within the magazine exit guideway 40 through the contacting rounds (FIG. 2) at the adjacent ends of the latter rows. It is evident at this point, therefore, that endwise feeding of the driven end 44d of the conveyor band 44 from the ammunition storage magazine 38 by rotation of the takeup spool 50 is effective to initially feed the ammunition rounds 12 forwardly through the upper magazine storage compartment 56-1 downwardly through the magazine transfer guideway 80, and forwardly through the magazine exit guideway 40 and the ammunition infeed chute 26 to the currently rotating breech cylinder 24 of the open chamber gun 14.

During this rotation of the breech cylinder, each cylinder firing chamber 30 periodically rotates to its infeed position, wherein the chamber receives an ammunition round 12 from the infeed guide 26, to its firing position, wherein the round is fired by actuation of the gun firing means 36, and its ejection position, wherein the spent cartridge case of the fired round is ejected from the chamber. Feeding of the ammunition rounds 12 from the ammunition storage magazine 38 to the open chamber gun 14 in this way will eventually empty the upper magazine storage compartment 56-1. At this point, the upper run of the conveyor band fold within the second magazine storage compartment 56-2 will commence to pull forwardly from the compartment. The ammunition rounds contained within the second compartment are thereby fed forwardly from the compartment into the magazine transfer guideway 80 and then downwardly through this guideway directly behind the last round from the upper compartment 56-1. Continued feeding of the conveyor band 44 from the ammunition storage magazine 38 will result in repetition of the above described ammunition feeding action within each of the succeeding magazine storage compartments 56-3 through 56-10. After the lower storage compartment 56-10 has been finally emptied, the one remaining fold formed by the conveyor band 44 is pulled forwardly through the magazine exist guideway 40, to feed the remaining rounds in the exit guideway forwardly through the ammunition infeed guide 26 of the open chamber gun 14. It is now evident, therefore, that feeding or driving of the conveyor band from the ammunition storage magazine 38 by winding of the band on the takeup spool 50 is effective to feed or transport the several ammunition rows R from the magazine to the gun in succession. After the ammunition magazine 38 has thus been emptied, the magazine and the takeup spool 50, which will then contain virtually the entire length of the conveyor band 44, are disengaged from the open chamber gun 14 and replaced by a loaded magazine and empty spool. As noted earlier, the magazine and takeup spool are preferably disposable after use.

As noted earlier and illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the ammunition rounds 12 in each ammunition row R within the storage magazine 38 are arranged in two groups, each containing alternate rounds of the row disposed with their adjacent apex edges in abutment. The several rounds in one group are disposed with curved sides thereof adjacent one side of the respective compartment, and the several rounds of the other group are disposed with curved sides thereof adjacent the opposite side of the compartment. It will be observed that when the ammunition rows are transported from the magazine in the manner explained above, the driving thrust for moving the rounds in each row is transmitted through the abutting edges of the alternate rounds along lines of action which extend longitudinally of the row, rather than through the abutting curved faces of the adjacent rounds. This minimizes or eliminates lateral camming forces on the rounds which would occur if the driving thrust were transmitted through the abutting curved faces of the adjacent rounds. These camming forces, of course, would urge the rounds laterally against the sides of each compartment and thereby increase by a substantial factor the force which would occur if the driving thrust were transmitted through the abutting curved faces of the adjacent rounds. These camming forces, of course, would urge the rounds laterally against the sides of each compartment and thereby increase by a substantial factor the force which would have to be exerted on the conveyor band 44 to feed the rounds from the storage magazine 38. It is also significant to note that the length of the storage compartments 56-1 through 56-10 and the slope of the transfer guideway are such that the curved sides of the rounds at the open ends of the compartments are located substantially in a common plane parallel to the front wall 72 of the transfer guideway and provide, in effect, the rear wall of the guideway for laterally restraining the rounds moving through the guideway. In this regard, it is evident that the angle of the transfer guideway relative to the ammunition storage compartments, when feeding the illustrated triangular rounds, is on the order of 60. This angle may vary considerably, however, even in the illustrated application and certainly in other applications of the invention.

It is significant to recall at this point that during normal operation of the open chamber gun system 10, the breech cylinder 24 is driven continuously in rotation by its drive motor 60. The conveyor band takeup spool 50, on the other hand, is driven in rotation from the cylinder only when the clutch 54 is energized. This permits the open chamber gun 14 to be fired at will.

Thus, when the clutch is de-energized, feeding of ammunition rounds 12 from the ammunition storage magazine 38 to the gun 14 is discontinued. Under these conditions, no ammunition rounds enter the firing chamber 30 of the rotating breech cylinder 24, so that no rounds are fired in the gun. Firing of the gun is initiated by energizing the clutch 54 to effect driving of the conveyor band takeup spool 50 and, thereby, feeding of rounds from the magazine to the gun. Preferably, the gun system is equipped with means for preventing inadvertent entrance of ammunition rounds into the cylinder firing chambers 30 when the ammunition infeed clutch 54 is de-energized. To this end, the illustrated gun system is equipped with a solenoid actuated stop 108 which is mounted on the ammunition infeed guide 26. When the solenoid 110 of the ammunition stop is de-energized, the stop is extended by a spring (not shown) into the path of movement of the ammunition rounds 12 through the infeed guide 26, to block entrance of the rounds into the cylinder firing chambers 30. The ammunition stop is retracted in response to energizing of its solenoid to permit entrance of the ammunition rounds into the cylinder firing chambers.

Referring now to FIG. 9, it will be seen that the gun firing means 36, spool drive clutch 54, breech cylinder drive motor 60, and ammunition stop solenoid 110 are connected in an electrical energizing circuit including a main power switch 112, a trigger switch 114, and a firing switch 116. Closing the main switch 112 energizes the motor 60 to drive the breech cylinder 24 through the intermittent (Geneva) mechanism 62 (FIG. 8) and conditions the firing means 36, clutch 54 and stop solenoid 110 for energizing. Closing the trigger switch 114 with the main switch 112 in closed position energizes the clutch 54 and stop solenoid 110 to simultaneously retract the ammunition stop 108 and drive the conveyor band takeup spool 50. Ammunition rounds 12 are thereby fed in succession from the ammunition storage magazine 38 to the firing chambers 30 of the currently rotating breech cylinder 24. Each round is fired by momentary closing of the firing switch 116 to energize the gun firing means 36 upon arrival of the round in firing position. To this end, the firing switch is actuated by a rotary cam 118 which is driven from the driving member 62a of the Geneva mechanism 62, as shown in FIG. 8, in such a way that the switch is momentarily closed during the portion of each revolution of the driving member in which the Geneva driven member 62b remains stationary to locate the corresponding cylinder firing chamber 30 in firing position.

Briefly reviewing the operation of the present open chamber gun system 10, the open chamber gun 14 is conditioned for firing by installing a loaded ammunition magazine 38 on the gun. When thus installing the magazine, the exit guideway 40 of the magazine 30 is inserted axially into the ammunition infeed guide 26 of the gun and secured in position. An empty takeup spool 50 is then secured to the extending driven end 44d of the magazine conveyor band 44, after which the spool is installed in position between the spool supporting shafts, 88, 90. At this point, the gun is readied for firing by closing the main power switch 112 to energize the breech cylinder drive motor 60. The breech cylinder 24 is then driven in intermittent rotation through the Geneva mechanism 62 in such a way that each cylinder firing chamber 30 is rotated in sequence to and momentarily arrested in its infeed, firing, and ejection positions. Actual firing of the gun is effected by closing the trigger switch 114 to simultaneously energize the ammunition infeed clutch 54 and retract the ammunition stop 108. The takeup spool 50 is then driven in rotation to feed the driven end 44d of the conveyor band 44 from the ammunition storage magazine 38 and thereby feed the ammunition rounds 12 in succession from the magazine through the magazine exit guideway 40 to the open chamber gun 14. As each cylinder firing chamber 30 rotates to infeed position, it receives an ammunition round through the ammunition feed guide 26 and thereafter transports the round to firing position, Where the round is fired by momentary closing of the cam actuated firing switch 116. The firing chamber is then rotated to ejection position, where the spent cartridge case of the fired round is ejected from the chamber, after which the chamber is returned to infeed position to receive its next ammunition round. When the trigger switch 114 is released, the ammunition infeed clutch 54 is de-energized to terminate feeding of ammunition rounds 12 from the magazine 38 to the gun 14, and the ammunition stop 108 is simultaneously extended to block entrance of rounds into the firing chambers 30 of the continuously rotating breech cylinder 24. The firing means 36 is also inactivated. After the ammunition storage magazine 38 has been completely emptied, the magazine and the takeup spool 50 on which the conveyor band 44 is now fully wound, are removed from the gun 14 and replaced by a loaded magazine and an empty takeup spool.

While the ammunition storage magazine 38 of the illustrated gun system 10 is attached directly to the ammunition infeed guide 26 of the open chamber gun 14, the magazine may be connected to the gun through an intervening ammunition feed chute, such as a flexible feed chute. In this case, the exit guideway of the storage maga- Zine is attached to one end of the feed chute and the driven and fixed ends 44d, 44 of the magazine conveyor band 44 are made sufficiently long to permit these ends to be threaded through the feed chute to the end of the chute which is attached to the open chamber gun. This latter end of the chute will be formed with exit slots through which the ends of the conveyor band may extend to the outside of the chute for attachment to the takeup spool and a suitable anchor, respectively. As noted earlier, the present gun system may fire either cased or uncased open chamber ammunition. The illustrated ammunition is cased ammunition of the type disclosed in the aforementioned prior art patents. Co-pendin-g application Ser. No. 671,910, filed on September 1, 1967 and entitled Sealed Open Chamber Breech Mechanism and Caseless Ammunition Therefor, disclosed caseless open chamber ammunition which may be fired in the present gun system.

At this point, it is significant to recall that while the invention has been disclosed in connection with an open chamber gun, the ammunition infeed device of the invention may be utilized to feed beltless ammunition rounds to an automatic gun with a conventional breech mechanism. In this case, the gun Will be equipped with infeed means such as a sprocket wheel, which receives each round from the present infeed device and delivers the round to a position between the firing chamber and the bolt or rammer that rams the round into and thereafter extracts the spent cartridge from the firing chamber. Moreover, the present article dispensing means may be utilized for a host of non-weapon article handling applications involving feeding or dispensing of articles of virtually any type of an article receiver of any kind. In some of these applications, the articles in each of the rows R within the storage magazine 16 may be staggered, as shown, while in other applications all of the articles in each row may be aligned lengthwise of the row, depending upon the shape of the articles, the need to conserve storage space, and other considerations. When feeding conventional circular cartridges or other articles for example, the adjacent cartridges or articles may be staggered to conserve space as aligned.

It will be understood that the driven end 44d of the conveyor band is fed from the magazine 38 at the correct speed to effect proper entrance of the articles being conveyed into the article receiver. In the illustrated gun system, for example, the ratio of the gear train 102, 104, 106 and the diameter of the spool 50 are selected to effect feeding of rounds 12 to the gun at a speed which will cause entrance of a round into each cylinder firing chamber 30 without excessive loading on the rounds or conveyor band. If desired, the clutch 54 may embody a slip action, or a separate slip clutch may be employed, to provide a preset maximum feed load on the rounds and conveyor band during feeding. The conveyor band, of course, may possess a degree of elasticity which will accommodate slight changes in the feed load and serve to yieldably urge the rounds toward the gun.

While the invention has been disclosed in which is presently conceived to be its preferred and most practical embodiment, it should be understood that modifications of the invention are possible.

I claim:

1. Article dispensing means for feeding articles in succession to an article receiver comprising:

an article storage magazine having an article exit passage opening externally of said magazine and at least one interior storage compartment opening at one end to said exit passage and adapted to contain a row of said articles extending lengthwise of said compartment;

2. flexible conveyor band having ends extending externally of said magazine along opposite sides of said passage and an intervening portion extending into said compartment along one side thereof and from said compartment along the opposite side thereof so as to form within said compartment a fold for containing said article row, whereby endwise feeding of one end of said conveyor band from said magazine with the other end of said band anchored against endwise movement into the magazine is effective to transport said article row endwise from said magazine through said exit passage and thereby dispense said articles in succession from said magazine.

a take-up spool secured to said one end of said band;

means rotatably supporting said spool adjacent the open end of said exit passage;

drive means coupled to said spool for driving said spool in rotation to Wind said band on said spool; and

readily releasable means for disengaging said spool from said drive means and releasing said spool from said supporting means to permit removal of said spool when said magazine is emptied.

2. An ammunition infeed device for an open chamber gun comprising:

an ammunition storage magazine having an exit passage opening externally of said magazine and at least one interior storage compartment opening at one end to said exit passage;

a number of open chamber ammunition rounds of generally equilateral triangular round shape in transverse cross-section within said storage compartment arranged side by side in a row extending lengthwise of said compartment;

each said round having three convex sides and apices opposite said convex sides, respectively, one set of alternate rounds in said row being oriented with convex sides of the respective rounds facing one side of said compartment and the other set of alternate rounds being oriented with convex sides of the respective rounds facing the opposite side of said compartment, whereby apices of the rounds of each set engage between adjacent rounds of the other set;

a flexible conveyor band having ends extending externally of said magazine along opposite sides of said exit passage and an intervening portion extending into said storage compartment along one side thereof and from said storage compartment along the opposite side thereof so as to form within said compartment of fold containing said ammunition row, whereby endwise feeding of one end of said conveyor band from said magazine with the other end of said band anchored against endwise movement into said magazine is effective to transport said ammunition row endwise from said magazine through said exit passage and thereby dispense said ammunition round laterally in succession from said magazine; and

the width of said storage compartment measured between said sides thereof being greater than the dimension of each round measured between a convex side and the opposite apex of the round by an amount such that said rounds of each said set are disposed with adjacent apex edges thereof in abutment to reduce the lateral camming forces produced by contact of the tapered sides of adjacent rounds.

3. An ammunition infeed device for an open chamber gun comprising:

an ammunition storage magazine having an exit passage opening externally of said magazine and a number of interior storage compartments each opening at one end to said exit passage;

a number of open chamber ammunition rounds of generally equilateral triangular round shape in transverse cross-section within each storage compartment arranged side by side in a row extending lengthwise of the respective compartment;

each said round having three convex sides and apices opposite said convex sides, respectively, one set of alternate rounds in each said row being oriented with convex sides of the respective rounds facing one side of the corresponding compartment and the other set of alternate rounds in the respective row being oriented with convex sides of the respective rounds facing the opposite side of the correseponding compartment, whereby apices of the rounds of said set engage between adjacent rounds of the other set;

a flexible conveyor band having ends extending externally of said magazine along opposite sides of said exit passage and an intervening portion extending through said storage compartments in succession in such manner that said band extends into each compartment along one side thereof and from the respective compartment along the opposite side thereof to form within each compartment a fold containing the ammunition row within the respective compartment, whereby endwise feeding of one end of said conveyor band from said magazine with the other end of said band anchored against endwise movement into said magazine is effective to transport said ammunition rows endwise in succession from said magazine through said exit passage and thereby dispense said ammunition round laterally in succession from said magazine; and

the width of each storage compartment measured between said sides thereof being greater than the dimension of each round measured between a convex side and the opposite apex of the round by an amount such that said rounds of each said set are disposed with adjacent apex edges thereof in abut ment to reduce the lateral camming forces produced by contact of the tapered sides of adjacent rounds.

4. An ammunition infeed device, according to claim 3, wherein:

said ammunition magazine contains a transfer guideway opening at one end to said exit passage;

said ammunition storage compartments are disposed in spaced parallel relation along said open at said one end through one side of said transfer guideway;

said conveyor band extends from one end thereof into said ammunition magazine along one side of said exit passage, then through said transfer guideway along the side thereof opposite said storage compartments to the storage compartment adjacent the opposite end of said transfer guideway, then through said storage compartments in succession, and finally back through said exit passage along the opposite side thereof to the opposite end of said band; and

said transfer guideway extends at an angle relative to said compartments such that the included angle between said transfer guideway and each compartment at the side of the respective compartment nearest said one end of said transfer guideway is substantially greater than 5. A gun system for firing beltless ammunition rounds comprising in combination:

a gun having an ammunition infeed opening;

an ammunition storage magazine having an exit passage leading to said ammunition infeed opening and at least one interior ammunition storage compartment opening at one end to said exit passage and adapted to contain a number of said ammunition rounds arranged side by side in a row extending lengthwise of said compartment;

means releasably securing said magazine to said gun;

a flexible conveyor band having ends extending along opposite sides of said exit passage to positions adjacent said infeed opening and an intervening portion extending into said storage compartment along one 15 side thereof and from said storage compartment along the opposite side thereof to form within said compartment 21 fold for containing said ammunition row;

conveyor band anchor means engaging one end of said conveyor band for anchoring said latter end against endwise movement into said magazine;

the other end of said band extending to the exterior of said magazine through an opening in the Wall of said exit passage; and

conveyor band feed means for feeding said other end of said conveyor band endwise from said magazine to transport said ammunition row endwise from said magazine through said exit passage and thereby dispense said ammunition rounds laterally in succession from said magazine to said gun through said ammunition infeed opening, said conveyor band feed means comprising a take-up spool, means rotatably supporting said spool adjacent said infeed opening, drive means coupled to said spool for driving said spool in rotation to wind said conveyor band on said spool, and readily releasable means for disengaging said spool from said driving means and releasing said spool from said supporting means to permit removal of said spool when said magazine is emptied.

6. An open chamber gun system comprising: an open chamber gun including a breech frame containing a chamber, a rotary cylinder supported on said frame within said chamber and containing at least one longitudinal firing chamber of generally equilateral triangular round shape in transverse crosssection opening laterally through the circumference of said cylinder, and means for driving said cylinder in rotation to locate said firing chamber in an ammunition infeed position wherein the open side of said firing chamber registers with an ammunition infeed opening in said frame and a firing position wherein said frame closes the open side of said firing chamber to condition said gun for firing;

an ammunition infeed device including an ammunition storage magazine having an exit passage opening at one end to said ammunition infeed opening, a transfer guideway opening at one end to said exit passage, and a number of ammunition storage compartments disposed in spaced parallel relation along and opening at one end through one side of said transfer guideway, a number of open chamber ammunition rounds of the same generally equilateral triangular round shape in transverse cross-section as said firing chamber within and arranged side by side in an ammunition row extending lengthwise of each compartment, each said round having three convex sides and apices opposite said convex sides, respectively, one set of alternate rounds in each said row being oriented with convex sides of the respective rounds facing one side of the corresponding compartment and the other set of alternate rounds in the respective row being oriented with convex sides of the respective rounds facing the opposite side of the corresponding compartment, whereby apices of the rounds of each set engage between adjacent rounds of the other set, a flexible conveyor band having ends located adjacent opposite sides of said ammunition infeed opening and an intervening portion extending through said magazine, means for anchoring one end of said coveyor band adjacent one side of said infeed opening, a conveyor hand drive means disposed in driving engagement with the other end of said conveyor band for driving said other end of said conveyor band endwise from said magazine, and said conveyor band extending from said driving means into said ammunition magazine through said exit passage along one side thereof, then through said transfer guideway along the side thereof opposite said ammunition storage compartments to the storage com partment adjacent the opposite end of said transfer guideway, then through said storage compartments in succession, and finally back through said exit passage along the opposite side thereof to said anchor means, all in such manner that said band forms within each ammunition storage compartment a fold containing the ammunition row in the respective compartment, whereby endwise feeding of said other end of said conveyor band from said magazine transports said ammunition rows in succession from said magazine through said exit passage, thereby to feed said ammunition rounds laterally in succession through said ammunition infeed opening to said gun cylinder; and

the width of each said storage compartment measured between said sides thereof being greater than the dimension of each round measured between a convex side and the opposite apex of the round by an amount such that said rounds of each said set are disposed with adjacent apex edges thereof in abutment to reduce the lateral camming forces produced by contact of the tapered sides of adjacent rounds.

7. An open gun chamber system according to claim 6, wherein:

said conveyor band driving means is selective operable independently of said cylinder drive means to effect intermittent feeding of ammunition rounds to and firing of the rounds in said gun while said cylinder is continuously driven in rotation.

8. An open chamber gun for use with an ammunition infeed magazine including an ammunition storage compartment containing a number of open chamber ammunition rounds of generally equilateral triangular round shape in transverse cross-section arranged side by side in an ammunition row, and a conveyor band having ends extending externally of said magazine along opposite sides of an exit passage opening externally of said magazine and an intervening portion forming a loop within said compartment containing said ammunition row, whereby endwise feeding one end of said conveyor band from said magazine while the other end of said conveyor band is anchored against endwise movement into said magazine is effective to transport said ammunition row endwise from said magazine through said exit passage and thereby feed said ammunition rounds laterally in succession from said magazine, said gun comprising:

a breech frame containing a chamber and an ammunition infeed opening to said chamber to be disposed in ammunition receiving relation to the open end of said magazine exit passage, a breech cylinder rotatable in said chamber and having at least one longitudinal firing chamber of said generally equilateral triangular round shape in transverse crosssection opening laterally throught the circumference of said cylinder, and means for driving said cylinder in rotation to locate said firing chamber in an ammunition infeed position, wherein the open side of said firing chamber registers with said ammunition infeed opening to permit lateral infeed movement of an ammunition round into said firing chamber, and a firing position, wherein the open side of said firing chamber is closed by said breech frame to condition said gun for firing the ammunition round contained in said firing chamber;

a rotary conveyor band driving member on said frame adjacent one side of said infeed opening and adapted to be disposed in driving engagement with said one end of said conveyor band; and

means operable independently of said cylinder drive means for selectively driving said member in rotation during continuous driving of said cylinder to effect intermittent feeding of ammunition rounds from said magazine to said gun without terminating driving of said cylinder.

9. An ammunition infeed device according to claim 2, a driving member on said frame to be engaged with including: said ammunition infeed element for driving the latter a take-up spool secured to said one end of said band; in its given infeed motion; and

means rotatably supporting said spool adjacent the drive means on said frame selectively operable indeopen end of said exit passage; pendently of said cylinder drive means for selectively drive means coupled to said spool for driving said spool intermittently driving said member to effect intermitin rotation to wind said band on said spool; and tent infeed movement of said infeed element during readily releasable means for disengaging said spool continuous driving of said cylinder, thereby to permit from said drive means and releasing said spool from selective intermittent firing of said gun without termisaid supporting means to permit removal of said nating operation of said cylinder drive means. spool when magazine is emptied. 14. An open chamber gun according to claim 13,

10. An ammunition infeed device according to claim wherein:

4, wherein: said infeed element is a flexible band, said driving said included angle approximates 120; and member is a rotary spool, and said selectively opersaid compartments are longitudinally dimensioned so able drive means comprises means for driving said that the convex sides of the rounds at the open ends spool in rotation to wind said band on said spool. of said compartments are disposed substantially flush 15. An open chamber gun according to claim 14, inwith the adjacent side of said transfer guideway. eluding: 11. A gun system according to claim 5, wherein: readily releasable means for disengaging said spool said spool supporting means and said spool driving from said spool drive means and releasing said spool means are carried by said gun. from said gun. All p chamber gun System Comprising: 16. An ammunition infeed device for an open chamber an open chamber gun including a breech frame congun comprising:

taining a chamber, a rotary cylinder supported n an ammunition magazine having an ammunition storsaid frame within said chamber and containing at age compartment opening at one end to the exterior least one longitudinal firing chamber of generally of the magazine; equilateral triangular round shape in transverse crossa n mber of open chamber ammunition rounds of gensection opening laterally through the circumference erally equilateral triangular round shape in transof said cylinder, and means for driving said cylinder verse cross-section arranged side-by-side in a row in rotation to locate said firing chamber in an amwithin said compartment; munition infeed position wherein the open side of each said round having three convex sides and apices said firing chamber registers with an ammunition infeed opening in said frame and a firing position wherein said frame closes the open side of said firing opposite said convex sides, respectively, one set of alternate rounds in said row being oriented w1th convex sides of the respective rounds facing one side chamber to condition said gun for firing; and of said compartment and the other set of alternate ammunition infeed means operable independently of rounds being oriented with convex sides of the said cylinder drive means for selectively intermitrespective rounds facing the opposite side of said tently feeding open chamber ammunition rounds compartment whereby apices of the rounds of each through said infeed opening during continuous drivset engage between adjacent rounds of the other set; ing 0f Said Cylinder 0 permit selective intermittent the width of said storage compartment measured befiring of said gun without terminating driving of said tween said sides thereof being greater than the dicylinder. mension of said round measured between a convex 13. An intermittent firing open chamber gun for use side and the opposite apex of the round, by an with an open chamber ammunition infeed device includamount such that the rounds of each said set are ing an ammunition storage magazine and an ammunition disposed with adjacent apex edges thereof in abutinfeed element which is movable in a given infeed motion ment; and to transport ammunition rounds from said magazine to means for exerting on the rounds adjacent the opposite said gun, said gun comprising: end of said compartment a driving force directed a breech frame containing a chamber, a rotary cylinder longitudinally of said row to transport said row supported on said frame within said chamber and containing at least one longitudinal firing chamber of generally equilateral triangular round shape in transverse cross-section opening laterally through the circumference of said cylinder, and means for drivof rounds from said compartment through said open end thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1951 Carroll.

ing said cylinder in rotation to locate said firing chamber in an ammunition infeed position wherein 8/1961 Kunz 102 38 6/1963 Lashley 22l-260 X the open side of said firing chamber registers with an ammunition infeed opening in said frame and a firing position wherein said frame closes the open side of said firing chamber to condition said gun for firing;

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 7, Da d September 16 1969 David Dardick Inventor(s) [c is certified that error appears in the above-idencified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 9, line 67 change "exist to exit Column 14, line ll change "correseponding to corresponding line 12 change "said" to each Line w, first occurence, cnange"said" to and Column 17, line 11 after "when" insert said Column i8, line 42 change "said" to each Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 197 (SLAM Attest:

MQCOLM. GIBSON. J1 C. MARSHALL DANN Attestine Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOM L C BC370-POD 

